May Your star pause over this place of worship, illuminating Your truth and justice. Confront us anew with Your call to look for power in lowly places and to bring our gifts to worship. You, who are long gone from the stable, but present in every place and time – God with us.
Reflective prayer for 8 January
We give thanks today – that the Holy Spirit always shows up and Her presence is as disruptive today as it was when Jesus was baptised by John. Baptised in the face of oppression and despair. Baptised in the grimness of life. For Baptism always proclaims the love and the mystery of God and the presence of the unquenchable Spirit.
Whenever baptism is offered – at the beginning of life as a symbol of hope and promise, as a rite of passage, building on family tradition, as a response to faith that has grown slowly and surely, at the bedside of a beautiful 93-year-old saint embarrassed to admit that she had never been baptised, or with parents anxious about their new-born’s hold on life – whether sprinkled, dunked, immersed, or with the gentlest whisper of a touch; always, always, always, the Holy Spirit makes Herself known as angels gather to sing a Gloria, declaring the wonder of God who calls us Beloved.
Amen
Sending prayer for the Season of Epiphany
May we follow Your light into all the darkness of the world, overthrowing the old and tired ways, fighting for justice, forging paths to peace, loving those it’s hard to love, knowing You go before us and call us to follow.
(inspired by Matthew 3:1-12, Mark 1:3, Isaiah 40:3)
We come to prepare the way; The way for Christ – the hope of Christ, the peace of Christ – to enter our world, to enter our hearts. We cry out together in the wilderness: The kingdom of heaven has come near. We come to be part of the light– the light that shines in the darkness.
Opening Prayer
Holy God,
We long for your peace, and trust in your promise;
we hear your call to turn toward you,
to change our lives and welcome you in.
Meet us here and fill
our minds with your wisdom
and our hearts with your peace,
that our worship together
may open us to the challenge
of your dream of wholeness for all.
In the Name of the One who is coming, we pray. Amen!
CONFESSION AND THANKS
Lord God, You have promised to come and sort out all things and all people. We have gathered in the midst of time to reflect on Your purposes, to prepare ourselves for Your coming, and to give You praise.
We confess our sins, what we have done wrong, what we have failed to do right. We live in a world full of wickedness and injustice, led by sinful men and women who need Your mercy, as we do. We have hurt others and been hurt by them. Forgive us and lead us in better ways, we pray. We ask this in the name of Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, the one whose coming we await to make all things right.
For every good meal you have shared, for every kind word you have received, for every good book on your shelves, for every good idea in your heads, for every good message on your phone may our good Lord be thanked.
For the gardens that rest, for the nights of good company, for the music of Advent, for inspiring speech and positive writing, for clothes that fit, for the wisdom of age and the smiles of children, may our wise and bountiful Lord be thanked.
For people who have taught and nurtured us, for thoughts which have helped and restored us, for friends who have listened to us and stayed alongside, for the work of Your Spirit in our lives and in the lives of others, may our gracious God be thanked and praised, now and always, Amen
Prayer of Intercession
(inspired by Isaiah 11: 1-10, Matthew 3: 1-12)
Let us pray for the Spirit of Wisdom to rest upon us
A spirit of understanding and knowledge
Grant us to live in harmony
God’s mercy prevail
Let us pray for God’s steadfastness to gird our spirit
May peace prevail like lamb and wolf
Grant us to live in harmony
God’s mercy prevail
Let us pray, for voices crying out in the wilderness
Women living in fear, children hiding
Grant all a place of harmony
God’s mercy prevail
Let us pray, repent of harm done to the innocent
Clear the chaff of abuse and hurt
Bear the Spirit of harmony
God’s mercy prevail
Let us pray for the God of hope, joy and peace to fill
All hearts, one voice glorify
God, prepare the way
God’s mercy prevail, Amen
BLESSINGS
Can you be a voice crying in the wilderness?
Can you proclaim that God is active in the world? Maybe?The time is near, of the crowning of the year. We sing with angels,
setting the roadways and the buildings humming As people who are being changed,
we go into a world that is being changed. Ready to share the Good News
that the long expected Jesus is coming,
that we are being freed from whatever binds us. Glory be to God!
Who walks with us, sings with us, and struggles with us, each and every day. Amen
Saint Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen. He is also the patron saint of Scotland and Russia. Both Andrew and his brother Simon Peter were fishermen and became Christ’s first disciples. Christ promised to make them ‘fishers of men’ and persuaded Andrew and Simon Peter to leave their nets and follow him.
THE COLLECT
ALMIGHTY God, who didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him without delay: Grant unto us all, that we, being called by thy holy word, may forthwith give up ourselves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE EPISTLE
Romans 10.9-end
IF thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
THE GOSPEL
St. Matthew 4.18-22
JESUS, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, (for they were fishers;) and he saith unto them, Follow me; and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 